Troubled by unfortunate event after unfortunate event The Watch sidesteps faux pas to come out on top as a consistently funny sci-fi comedy that doesn't let its high concept tangle up a bevy of one-liners. The script penned by Jared Stern Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg assumes you've seen a few movies before entering the theater (mainly any sci-fi movie made in the 1980s). "Summer movie logic" is the foundation for The Watch's ridiculous plot which finds four adult nincompoops teaming up to form a Neighborhood Watch trying to solve the murder of a local Costco employee and eventually pursuing a killer extraterrestrial. Instead of making sense of it all The Watch wisely focuses on its four leads: Ben Stiller Vince Vaughn Jonah Hill and The IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade — a quartet whose bro banter goes a long way in spicing up the dust-covered material. There's nothing revelatory to be found in The Watch but the cast's knack for improv a poetry of the profane makes the adventure worth…viewing.
Director Akiva Schaffer (Hot Rod) establishes his two-dimensional characters quickly and bluntly smashing together broad personality types like a Hadron Collider of cinematic comedy. Stiller's Evan is a micromanaging do-gooder who can't find time for his wife; Hill's Franklin is a mildly disturbed weapons enthusiast yearning to join the police; Ayoade is the quaint weirdo who joins the Watch to fill the void left by his divorce; Vince Vaughn is Vince Vaughn: a loud crass gent looking for a bit of male bonding. The ragtag team assembles to fight crime but they spend most of their time drinking beers in a minivan — an affair they dub "stakeouts." A perfect opportunity for banter.
For a movie about enforcing the law and alien invasions there's a surprising lack of action in The Watch. Long stretches of the film see the central players yapping back and forth about everything: Russian nesting dolls peeing in cans or the similar viscosities of alien goo and human excrement. Charisma goes a long way and Vaughn does much of the heavy lifting making up for lost time out of the spotlight (he's been virtually nonexistent since 2005's Wedding Crashers). The man spits out jokes like no other — the rest of the cast barely keeps up. Ayoade balances out Vaughn's bombardment with a tempered timed delivery that's uniquely British and rarely found on the American big screen. Even when nothing's happening in The Watch it's rarely boring.
The Watch is at its best when it goes a step further mixing the group in with outsiders and throwing them off their rhythm. Billy Crudup cuts loose as a creepy neighbor and its delightfully weird while the always-impressive Rosemarie DeWitt as Evan's wife Abby brings unexpected warmth to the couple's relationship. Sadly The Watch mishandles its greatest asset: the aliens. The film never finds a pitch perfect blend of comedy and science fiction (Ghostbusters or Galaxy Quest this is not); a few scenes where the two come together hint at the best possible scenario but more often than not The Watch avoids its sci-fi roots. A moment in which the guys haul a dead alien back to their man cave plays like an E.T.-inspired version of The Hangover credits. It's lewd and ridiculous but the rest of the film struggles to maintain that energy.
Stiller Vaughn Hill and Ayoade have all proved themselves able funnymen capable of taking weak and tired material up a notch which they're forced to do in every moment of The Watch. Schaffer can handle his talent but his direction isn't adding anything to the mix. By the third slow-motion-set-to-gangster-rap scene The Lonely Island member's obsession with non-cool-coolness is officially just an attempt at being cool (which is not all that funny). The Watch has a greater opportunity than most comedy blockbusters to go absolutely bonkers: it's rated R. But instead of taking its twist and running with it the movie plays it safe. In this case safe is non-stop jokes about the many facets of human reproduction.

The first and most important thing you should know about Paramount Pictures’ Thor is that it’s not a laughably corny comic book adaptation. Though you might find it hokey to hear a bunch of muscled heroes talk like British royalty while walking around the American Southwest in LARP garb director Kenneth Branagh has condensed vast Marvel mythology to make an accessible straightforward fantasy epic. Like most films of its ilk I’ve got some issues with its internal logic aesthetic and dialogue but the flaws didn’t keep me from having fun with this extra dimensional adventure.
Taking notes from fellow Avenger Iron Man the story begins with an enthralling event that takes place in a remote desert but quickly jumps back in time to tell the prologue which introduces the audience to the shining kingdom of Asgard and its various champions. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) son of Odin is heir to the throne but is an arrogant overeager and ill-tempered rogue whose aggressive antics threaten a shaky truce between his people and the frost giants of Jotunheim one of the universe’s many realms. Odin (played with aristocratic boldness by Anthony Hopkins) enraged by his son’s blatant disregard of his orders to forgo an assault on their enemies after they attempt to reclaim a powerful artifact banishes the boy to a life among the mortals of Earth leaving Asgard defenseless against the treachery of Loki his mischievous “other son” who’s always felt inferior to Thor. Powerless and confused the disgraced Prince finds unlikely allies in a trio of scientists (Natalie Portman Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings) who help him reclaim his former glory and defend our world from total destruction.
Individually the make-up visual effects CGI production design and art direction are all wondrous to behold but when fused together to create larger-than-life set pieces and action sequences the collaborative result is often unharmonious. I’m not knocking the 3D presentation; unlike 2010’s genre counterpart Clash of the Titans the filmmakers had plenty of time to perfect the third dimension and there are only a few moments that make the decision to convert look like it was a bad one. It’s the unavoidable overload of visual trickery that’s to blame for the frost giants’ icy weaponized constructs and other hybrids of the production looking noticeably artificial. Though there’s some imagery to nitpick the same can’t be said of Thor’s thunderous sound design which is amped with enough wattage to power The Avengers’ headquarters for a century.
Chock full of nods to the comics the screenplay is both a strength and weakness for the film. The story is well sequenced giving the audience enough time between action scenes to grasp the characters motivations and the plot but there are tangential narrative threads that disrupt the focus of the film. Chief amongst them is the frost giants’ fore mentioned relic which is given lots of attention in the first act but has little effect on the outcome. In addition I felt that S.H.I.E.L.D. was nearly irrelevant this time around; other than introducing Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye the secret security faction just gets in the way of the movie’s momentum.
While most of the comedy crashes and burns there are a few laughs to be found in the film. Most come from star Hemsworth’s charismatic portrayal of the God of Thunder. He plays up the stranger-in-a-strange-land aspect of the story with his cavalier but charming attitude and by breaking all rules of diner etiquette in a particularly funny scene with the scientists whose respective roles as love interest (Portman) friendly father figure (Skarsgaard) and POV character (Dennings) are ripped right out of a screenwriters handbook.
Though he handles the humorous moments without a problem Hemsworth struggles with some of the more dramatic scenes in the movie; the result of over-acting and too much time spent on the Australian soap opera Home and Away. Luckily he’s surrounded by a stellar supporting cast that fills the void. Most impressive is Tom Hiddleston who gives a truly humanistic performance as the jealous Loki. His arc steeped in Shakespearean tragedy (like Thor’s) drums up genuine sympathy that one rarely has for a comic book movie villain.
My grievances with the technical aspects of the production aside Branagh has succeeded in further exploring the Marvel Universe with a film that works both as a standalone superhero flick and as the next chapter in the story of The Avengers. Thor is very much a comic book film and doesn’t hide from the reputation that its predecessors have given the sub-genre or the tropes that define it. Balanced pretty evenly between “serious” and “silly ” its scope is large enough to please fans well versed in the source material but its tone is light enough to make it a mainstream hit.

Friday's Comic-Con Schedule Highlights
We just got our hands on the Friday (July 23) schedule for Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego, and there's just as much delicious geek-fare to entertain you as there was on Thursday's schedule! Moreover, FRIDAY is STAR WARS DAY at Comic-Con!
Even if you didn't manage to nab a ticket to the convention this year, you can still revel in all its glory here at Hollywood.com, where we will continue to keep you up to date with all the event's entertainment-industry news. Full Friday schedule here.
10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans
David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Dan Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&amp;A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25ABC
10:15-11:15 Aloha, Earth!
Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space! A supernatural force has drawn some of sci-fi's giants back to Earth­ -- and they're all gathering on a beautiful and mysterious island in the Pacific. It's Hawaii Five-0, a modern-day reimagining of one of television's most beloved and iconic classics. The epic series, one of the most anticipated new shows of the season, will explore the origins of the Five-0 team and build on an already rich mythology. Executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Star Trek) and Peter M. Lenkov (24), director Len Wiseman (Underworld), and stars Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica) present an exclusive sneak peek at the series and an in depth discussion on how they plan to marry their genre sensibilities with a classic police procedural. Room 6BCF
10:30-11:30 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Screening and Q&amp;A
The Caped Crusader swings back into San Diego as Batman: The Brave and the Bold returns to Comic-Con for its third consecutive year, with an advance screening of an upcoming episode as well as a lively discussion with voice of Batman Diedrich Bader (Surf's Up), executive producer Sam Register (Teen Titans), producers James Tucker (Justice League Unlimited), and Michael Jelenic (The Batman), and voice director Andrea Romano (Superman Doomsday). As a special bonus for fans, the panel will also screen the world premiere trailer for the upcoming and highly anticipated Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Animation series Young Justice...don't miss this Comic-Con exclusive! From Warner Bros. Animation, Batman: The Brave and the Bold airs Fridays at 7:30 pm ET/PT on Cartoon Network, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold—Season 1, Part 1 will be released on DVD August 17. Room 6A
10:30-11:30 Stargate Universe
Follow your Destiny. Catch the Syfy Stargate Universe panel, featuring Robert Carlyle (Dr. Nicholas Rush), David Blue (Eli Wallace), Ming Na (Camile Wray), and Louis Ferreira (Colonel Everett Young), moderated by Robert Cooper (series co-creator). Ballroom 20
10:30-11:30 Summit Entertainment: Drive Angry 3D
A vengeful father hunts down the people who brutally killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby in the newest film shot in 3D from the writer and director of My Bloody Valentine 3D, starring Nicolas Cage, William Fichtner, Billy Burke, and Amber Heard. Join the cast and filmmakers as they showcase never-before-seen footage of this high-octane, blood-spattered road trip through hell! Hall H
11:00-12:00 Bob's Burgers
Creator/executive producer Loren Bouchard (Home Movies) and executive producer Jim Dauterive (King of the Hill) introduce animation fans to their hilarious new series premiering on Fox in January. There will be a screening of never-before-seen footage followed by a Q&amp;A. Room 25ABC
11:00-11:45 Dimension Films: Piranha 3D
Dimension Films presents never-before-seen footage of Piranha 3D, which hits theatres August 20. Director/producer Alex Aja (The Hills Have Eyes), producer Mark Canton (300), producer Gregory Levasseur, and executive producer Alix Taylor are joined by cast members Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O'Connell, Jessica Szohr (Gossip Girl), Steven R. McQueen (Vampire Diaries), Kelly Brook, and Adam Scott for a sneak peek at Piranha 3D and a Q&amp;A! Hall H
11:30-12:30 AMC's The Walking Dead
Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually), Jon Bernthal (The Pacific), Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break), Laurie Holden (The Mist), Emma Bell (Law &amp; Order), series creator/director/executive producer Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), executive producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator), executive producer Robert Kirkman (creator/writer of The Walking Dead comic), makeup artist Greg Nicotero, and Joel Stillerman (AMCs senior VP) discuss the making of AMC's series The Walking Dead, based on the Image comic book series created and written by Robert Kirkman, premiering in October on AMC. Room 6BCF
11:30-12:30 State of the Animation Industry
ASIFA-Hollywood's annual overview of trends in animation. In this turbulent economy, how is the animation industry faring? Are games taking up the slack? Will 2D survive? Moderated by Tom Sito (Shrek, The Lion King), the panel includes Raul Garcia (Aladdin, The Old Woman and the Reaper), Joe Haidar (Beauty and the Beast, Alvin the Squeakquel), Beth Sleven (Night at the Museum, Iron Man 2), and Sean Petrilak (Kung Fu Panda TV show, Lady Gaga and Kanye West videos). Room 9
11:30-12:30 Caprica
Syfy presents an exclusive glimpse into the future of humanity. Featuring Alessandra Torresani (Zoe Graystone), Sasha Roiz (Sam Adama), Ronald D. Moore (co-creator/executive producer), and David Eick (executive producer) and moderated by Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times. Ballroom 20
11:45-12:45 Cartoon Network: Comedy Animation
What time is it? It's Adventure Time with special guests Pendleton Ward (creator), Jeremy Shada (voice of Finn), John DiMaggio (voice of Jake), and Tom Kenny (voice of Ice King). Fans will also get an exclusive look at what's coming this fall from Cartoon Network Studios, including a sneak peek at Regular Show with creator J. G. Quintel. Room 6A
12:00-1:00 Neighbors from Hell
Executive producers Pam Brady (South Park) and Mireille Soria (Madagascar) screen a never-before-seen episode of their newly launched TBS animated series and take questions from the audience, along with their all-star voice cast including Molly Shannon (SNL), Patton Oswalt (My Weakness Is Strong, Ratatouille), Will Sasso (MADtv), Kurtwood Smith (That '70s Show), David Soren (DreamWorks animation veteran), Kyle McCulloch (Mr. Wong), and Tracey Fairaway (Chicago 8). Room 25ABC
12:00-1:00 Skyline
Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, and Rogue Pictures present an exclusive look at the sci-fi thriller Skyline, directed and produced by the Brothers Strause (Alien vs. Predator: Requiem), whose company Hydraulx has provided visual effects for Avatar, Iron Man 2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and 300. In Skyline, strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame, where an extraterrestrial force proceeds to swallow the entire human population off the face of the earth. Colin and Greg Strause unveil an exclusive Comic-Con trailer and scenes from Skyline, along with stars Donald Faison (Scrubs), Eric Balfour (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 24), David Zayas (The Expendables, Dexter), Scottie Thompson (Star Trek), and Brittany Daniel (Club Dread) and moderated by Drew McWeeney. Hall H
12:45-1:45 The Big Bang Theory
It's "Anything Can Happen Friday" at Comic-Con as The Big Bang Theory -- which kicks off a new night of comedy on Thursdays for CBS this fall -- returns to Comic-Con with a special screening and Q&amp;A featuring the show's creators and stars. Resident Big Bang alum Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) moderates a lively discussion featuring executive producers Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) and Bill Prady (Dharma &amp; Greg), as well as series stars Johnny Galecki (Roseanne), Jim Parsons (Garden State), Kaley Cuoco (Charmed), Simon Helberg (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story), and Kunal Nayyar (NCIS). From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory will air Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT this fall on the CBS Television Network, and The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 14. Ballroom 20
1:00-2:00 Motion Picture and Television Production Designers
Motion picture and television production designers might take us to a 1930s prison break, a '50s drag race, a '70s disco, or even today's Comic-Con. Or, like this year's panel, they'll take you to unknown worlds that beggar the imagination—fully realized worlds with alternate architecture, interior design, cars, weapons, and more. In collaboration with a multi-person, highly skilled art department, they will conceive, hire, supervise, and even try to stay on budget as they create whole new worlds of the imagination. Panelists include moderator John Muto (Terminator 2: 3D), Mimi Gramatky (10,000 Days), Barry Robison (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), Kirk Petruccelli (Blade), and Oliver Scholl (The Time Machine). Room 32AB
1:00-2:00 Super
Writer/director James Gunn (Slither), stars Rainn Wilson (The Office), Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings), Nathan Fillion (Firefly), and Michael Rooker (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), and producers Ted Hope (Adventureland) and Miranda Bailey (The Squid and the Whale) reveal footage from their latest feature production Super, including the first peek at Rainn and Ellen Page's costume design. Super is a hyper-real and shockingly funny look at the extremely violent antics of a down-on-his-luck man as he attempts to win his wife back from a glamorous drug dealer by teaming up with a psychopathic teen to become costumed crimefighters. Hall H
2:00-3:00 Star Wars Day: Inside the Force
Lucasfilm Animation artists Dave Filoni (supervising director), Joel Aron (CG supervisor), and Kilian Plunkett (lead designer), take you on an in-depth journey from script to screen, showing how an episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is made and demonstrate the transformation of the animation style from Season One to the upcoming Season Three. Room 7AB
2:00-2:45 Bones
Creator and executive producer Hart Hanson and star David Boreanaz are on hand to discuss what went down in Season 5 of Bones and the cliffhanger finale as well as what's in store for Booth and Brennan in the exciting new Season 6! The panel will be followed with a Q&amp;A session. Ballroom 20
2:15-3:15 The Cape: Sneak Peek and Panel Discussion
One man can make a difference...When Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, is framed for murder and presumed killed, he assumes the identity of his son's favorite comic book superhero -- The Cape -- to reclaim his name, family, and his city from the ruthless ARK Corporation and the masked villain known as Chess. Join the cast and creators including David Lyons (ER), Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles), Dorian Missick (Six Degrees), James Frain (True Blood), Keith David (Gamer), Vinnie Jones (X-Men: Last Stand), Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribbean), composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica), creator/executive producer Thomas Wheeler (Empire), and showrunner/executive producer John Wirth (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) for this sneak peek at the pilot episode and panel discussion. A limited collector edition of The Cape comic book, with a cover by superstar artist John Cassady (Astonishing X-Men), will be given away at the panel. Room 6A
2:15-3:45 Miramax Films: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Producer/co-writer Guillermo del Toro and director Troy Nixey present a first look at their new film Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, a hair-raising, spine-chilling tale of horror about a little girl (Bailee Madison) who is sent to live with her father (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend (Katie Holmes) in the old mansion they are renovating, only to unwittingly unleash malevolent creatures bent on destroying all of them. Hall H
2:30-3:30 Nickelodeon: Penguins, Lemurs, and Pandas, Oh My!
See Penguins of Madagascar executive producers Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley (Kim Possible), supervising producer Nick Filippi (Wolverine &amp; X-Men), creative consultant and voice of "Skipper" Tom McGrath (Madagascar 1 &amp; 2), and cast members John DiMaggio (Futurama), Jeff Bennett (The Misadventures of Flapjack), James Patrick Stewart (Wolverine &amp; X-Men), Danny Jacobs (Epic Movie), and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) present highlights from the upcoming Penguins special "The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel" and perform a table read from a new episode. Then get a special preview of the upcoming Nickelodeon series Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, presented by executive producer Peter Hastings (Pinky and the Brain), supervising producer Bret Haaland (The Penguins of Madagascar), supervising producer Randy Dormans (The Penguins of Madagascar), and supervising director Gabe Swarr (The Penguins of Madagascar). Moderated by Rich Magallanes, VP of animation for Nickelodeon, and Megan Casey, executive-in-charge for Nickelodeon. Room 5AB
3:00-3:45 The Joss Whedon Experience
Every year Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dollhouse, and Serenity, comes to Comic-Con to give fans a wide-ranging and digressive look into what's keeping him busy. Join Joss and a few thousand of his closest friends for the Q&amp;A. Spoiler Alert! Ballroom 20
3:15-4:15 Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Andy Whitfield (McLeod's Daughters) makes his Comic-Con debut, along with Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess), John Hannah (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor), and Viva Bianca (Bad Bush). Executive producer Stephen S. DeKnight (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) joins the cast to discuss the upcoming prequel, titled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, expected to air on Starz in January 2011, and the exclusive content found on the first season Blu-ray discs, available September 21. Room 6BCF
3:30-4:30 Terra Nova
Executive producers Brannon Braga (24, Star Trek: Enterprise) and David Fury (24, Lost), director Alex Graves, and star Jason O'Mara (Life on Mars) offer a glimpse into the highly anticipated epic family adventure 85 million years in the making. This new event drama slated for midseason on FOX comes from the brilliant minds of Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, The Pacific) and former News Corporation president and COO Peter Chernin and follows an ordinary family on an extraordinary journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a part of a massive expedition to save the human race. Room 6A
4:00-5:00 Entertainment Weekly: Girls Who Kick Ass: A New Generation of Heroines
EW moderates this discussion with Jena Malone (Sucker Punch), Anna Torv (Fringe), Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass), Adrianne Palicki (Red Dawn and Friday Night Lights), and Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) about the next generation of female action heroes and the power and privilege of playing young women who are nobody's arm candy. Moderated by Nicole Sperling. Ballroom 20
4:00-6:00 Sony Pictures Entertainment: The Other Guys and The Green Hornet
Two more sneak peeks at upcoming films from Sony Pictures Entertainment!
The Other Guys -- NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. Two desks over and one back, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). You've seen them in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus and eyes closed. They're not heroes -- they're "the Other Guys." But every cop has his day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into New York City's biggest crime. It's the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff? Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, and co-writer/director Adam McKay will be appearing in person.The Green Hornet -- Director Michel Gondry, who makes movies with a special, personal signature, is taking on The Green Hornet—and he's doing it in 3D. Comic-Con audiences, prepare yourselves. In The Green Hornet, Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the son of L.A.'s most prominent and respected media magnate and perfectly happy to maintain a directionless existence on the party scene—until his father (Tom Wilkinson) mysteriously dies, leaving Britt his vast media empire. Striking an unlikely friendship with one of his father's more industrious and inventive employees, Kato (Jay Chou), they see their chance to do something meaningful for the first time in their lives: fight crime. To get close to the criminals, they come up with the perfect cover: they'll pose as criminals themselves. Protecting the law by breaking it, Britt becomes the vigilante The Green Hornet as he and Kato hit the streets. Confirmed to appear in person to unveil this early look at The Green Hornet in 3D are the Hornet himself, Seth Rogen, director Michel Gondry, writer Evan Goldberg, producer Neal Moritz, and actor Christoph Waltz. Hall H
4:30-5:30 Adult Swim Panel Featuring Robot Chicken, Venture Bros, and Metalocalypse
Show creators Seth Green, Matt Senreich, and Tom Root (Robot Chicken), Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer (Venture Bros), and Brendon Small (Metalocalypse) discuss their original series, screen sneak peeks, and answer questions. Keith Crofford, VP of production at Adult Swim, will moderate. Room 6BCF
4:45-5:45 Falling Skies
They're coming. Get the very first look at Steven Spielberg's new series that envisions a world where aliens have invaded and the fate of humanity lies in the hands of a few survivors. Noah Wyle (ER, TNT's The Librarian movies) and Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) join co-executive producer and writer Mark Verheiden (Heroes, Battlestar Galactica) for a Q&amp;A on the new series. Falling Skies premieres on TNT next summer. Room 6A
5:00-6:00 Spotlight on Drew Struzan
See the premiere screening of excerpts from Drew: The Man Behind the Poster, a feature-length documentary film about the career of movie poster artist and Comic-Con special guest Drew Struzan, featuring exclusive interviews with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, Frank Darabont, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and many others. Q&amp;A will include Struzan and filmmakers Erik Sharkey (director), Charles Ricciardi (producer), Greg Boas (editor and cinematographer), and Marc-Antoine Serou (cinematographer). Room 7AB
5:00-6:00 Girls Gone Genre: Movies, TV, Comics, Web
Meet and talk with women who write, read, game, and perform in arenas that are historically and statistically dominated by men. What's it like to try and get a job in a field where most of your competitors and colleagues are guys? Can women write men, and vice versa? And what happens when traditionally "male" genres are reinvented by female writers and embraced by female fans? Sex and the City it ain't! Meet the women who like to play with trucks and Barbies...and Wolverine action figures. And flux capacitors. Featuring Felicia Day (writer/producer, The Guild; actress, The Guild, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog), Kathryn Immonen (writer, Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Runaways, Heralds), Laeta Kalogridis (screenwriter/producer, Shutter Island, Ghost in the Shell, Avatar), Marti Noxon (screenwriter/producer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Mad Men), Melissa Rosenberg (screenwriter/producer, Dexter, The Twilight Saga), and Gail Simone (writer, Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey).Moderated by Io9's Annalee Newitz. Room 24ABC
5:15-6:15 True Blood Panel and Q&amp;A session
Mixing romance, suspense, mystery, and humor, True Blood kicked off its 12-episode third season June 13 on HBO. The series, which has earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series—Drama, follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, Golden Globe winner for True Blood season one; Oscar-winner for The Piano), who can hear people's thoughts, and her soulmate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy-winning HBO series Six Feet Under) created and serves as executive producer of the series, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. The series also features Nelsan Ellis as Lafayette Reynolds, Sam Trammell as Sam Merlotte, Rutina Wesley as Tara Thornton, Deborah Ann Woll as Jessica Hamby, Kristin Bauer van Straten as Pam, Denis O'Hare as Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi, and Joe Manganiello as Alcide Herveaux. (Note: names in bold will be appearing on the panel.) Moderated by Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly. Ballroom 20
6:00-7:00 BBC America's Being Human
Creator/writer Toby Whithouse and cast members Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aidan Turner, and Sinead Keenan are on stage for a fan Q&amp;A and exclusive inside peek at the new U.S. premiere season launching the same weekend as Comic-Con. The Los Angeles Times declared, "Buffy fans -- come out of the Twilight and sink your teeth into this import." Don't miss the chance to get the inside secrets on the double-lives of a werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost, joined this season by George's friend Nina, who's got a mysterious secret of her own. Room 6A
6:00-7:00 Archer
Creator and executive producer Adam Reed (Sealab 2021, Frisky Dingo) screens selected scenes from the FX animated series Archer, which recently won a NowNewNext Award for "Best Television Show You're Not Watching" from cable's Logo network. He will take questions from the audience along with Aisha Tyler, who provides the voice of Agent Lana Kane, the strong, voluptuous, and often exasperated secret agent. Adam and Aisha will discuss the evolution of the series as well as the voice-over process. Room 7AB
6:30-7:30 Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet's RAW Entertainment
Join the crew from RAW Entertainment as they discuss their exciting slate of current and upcoming projects in comics and film. Moderated by Thomas Jane (Hung, The Punisher), and Tim Bradstreet (The Punisher), panelists include Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein), Bruce Jones (Twisted Tales), James Daly (Bad Planet), William Stout (Pan's Labyrinth), Mark Schultz (Cadillacs &amp; Dinosaurs), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), and a surprise guest! Room 4
6:30-7:30 TV Guide Magazine: The 2010 Hot List
Featuring the hottest supernatural/sci-fi talent in front of the camera and behind the scenes from new and returning series! Moderated by TV Guide magazine's executive editor Craig Tomashoff, the panel includes Morena Baccarin (V), Brannon Braga (Terra Nova, Flash Forward), Michael Chiklis (No Ordinary Family), Keith David (The Cape), Zachary Levi (Chuck), David Lyons (The Cape), Elizabeth Mitchell (V), Chi McBride (Human Target), and others to be announced! Ballroom 20
6:30-7:30 Old School American Horror
Featuring legendary horror icons and the hottest names in the genre, the cast of Hatchet II presents an old school American horror panel. Kane Hodder (Friday The 13th), Tony Todd (Candyman), R. A. Mihailoff (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Danielle Harris (Halloween), Tom Holland (Child's Play), and Adam Green (Hatchet) are on hand for an unforgettable panel. Room 32AB
7:30-8:30 Discovery Channel's Reign of the Dinosaurs
Immerse yourself in next spring's TV blockbuster, as an all-star crew reveal the secrets behind Discovery Channel's genre-busting journey back to the Prehistoric. Confirmed panelists include Iain McCaig (Star Wars), David Krentz (Disney's Dinosaur), and Ricardo Delgado (Dark Horse Comics' Age of Reptiles), all of whom will be pitching their stories live! Hosted by producer Erik Nelson (Grizzly Man), the panel goes deep behind the scenes for an in-depth look at how this landmark production is creating stories, characters, and digital models for the new standard in realistic dinosaur storytelling. A once-in-a-decade opportunity to be present at the creation of an epic miniseries. Room 6BCF
7:30-8:30 30 Days of Night: Dark Days
This highly anticipated sequel to the box office hit 30 Days of Night is based on the second book of the cult graphic novel series and will debut on Blu-ray and DVD this fall from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Director/co-screenwriter Ben Ketai (Dusk to Dusk), graphic novel creator/co-writer Steve Niles, stars Keile Sanchez (Lost), Diora Baird (TCM: The Beginning), and Rhys Coiro (Entourage, upcoming Straw Dogs), and producer J. R. Young (Ghosthouse) are on hand for an exclusive sneak peek, panel, and Q&amp;A session. Room 7AB
8:00-9:00 Anthropology of Twilight Zone
Daryl G. Frazetti (anthropologist, Western Nevada College) and Curtis Webster (Spirit of Star Trek host) examine Rod Serling's exploration of the ambiguity of reality as it relates to the human condition, exceeding cultural space/time constraints. This panel examines questions such as: What is the deeper cultural meaning of "perception"? What is the cultural meaning of myth? How might Twilight Zone function as myth? How do Sterling's insights speek to concepts of cultural and linguistic relativism? Don't miss this enthralling discussion on the mix of Serling's magic and science fiction as the presenters follow each twist and turn that moves the meanings of his stories into the mythical realm. Participation highly encouraged! Room 8
8:00-10:00 World Premiere: Batman: Under the Red Hood
Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Animation proudly present the World Premiere of Batman: Under the Red Hood, the eighth entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 movies. In the film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened. The stellar voice cast is led by Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek), Jensen Ackles (Supernatural), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), John DiMaggio (Futurama), Jason Issacs (the Harry Potter films), and Vincent Martella (Phineas &amp; Ferb). Executive producer Bruce Timm (DCU films), director Brandon Vietti (Superman: Doomsday), award-winning comics writer Judd Winick, casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano (DCU films) and members of the voice cast will be around for a postscreening panel that will reveal details behind the making of the film, a glimpse of the 2011 DC Universe Animated Original Movies slate, and a first look at the next DCU film, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. Warner Home Video will distribute Batman: Under the Red Hood on Blu-Ray and DVD, OnDemand and For Download on July 27, 2010. Note: a second encore screening will take place in the same room beginning at 10:15. Ballroom 20
8:30-9:30 Ironclad Panel and Footage
A medieval Magnificent Seven that combines the visceral action of 300 with the impassioned heroism and romance of Braveheart, Ironclad is a violent action thriller that tells the true story of a motley crew of tough, battle hardened warriors, who withstood several brutal and bloody months under siege, in a desperate bid to defend their country’s freedom. Starring James Purefoy, Paul Giamatti, Brian Cox, Kate Mara, Jason Flemyng, and Derek Jacobi. Filmmakers Jonathan English (Minotaur), Andrew Curtis (Lost In La Mancha), and Rick Benattar (Shoot 'em Up) will screen an 11-minute battle sequence from the film and host a Q&amp;A afterward. Special surprise guests to appear! Room 7AB
9:30-10:30 The Blood Factory
To unlock the bone-chilling secrets of The Blood Factory, join Danny De Vito (actor/director/star of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), John Albo (writer/director of Flexing with Monty), Nick Bonamy (art director of The Blood Factory), "Tkay" Raul Garcia (website developer), Frank Ippolito (effects makeup, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 &amp; 3), and William Mesa (visual effects, Army of Darkness). Relish new short films from The Blood Factory: tales of horror that will conjure nightmares to disturb your sleep for nights to come. Room 5AB

The Screen Actors Guild takes a break from deliberating for the holidays.
SAG leaders have postponed the planned strike authorization vote for two weeks, it was announced late Monday. In a memo Monday night, SAG national exec director Doug Allen said that SAG's national board must meet first in order to present a united front before sending out strike ballots and notified members that the vote would be held after an emergency board meeting on Jan. 12 and 13.
Allen said he and SAG president Alan Rosenberg had agreed to delay the authorization vote to "address the unfortunate division and restore consensus."
"This division does not help our effort to get an agreement from the Alliance of Motion Picture &amp; Television Producers that our members will ratify,'' Allen said. "This will provide us with more time to conduct member education and outreach on the referendum before the balloting."
The delay comes as the “vote no” faction has been gaining traction among members. Over 1,400, including George Clooney, Russell Crowe, Matt Damon, Sally Field, Tom Hanks, Julianne Moore, Robert Redford and Susan Sarandon have publicly declared that they'll vote against the measure, notes Variety.
Those supporting the authorization effort include Hal Holbrook, Martin Sheen, Holly Hunter, Mel Gibson, Rob Schneider and former SAG President Ed Asner.
Meanwhile, in an editorial posted on truthdig.com, actor Mike Farrell spoke out against the “Hollywood-centric ‘Membership First’ faction” and wrote, in part:
“Today, with the country in the most catastrophic economic condition since 1929 and our entire industry reeling, this faction wants us to vote for a strike. A strike? Now? Don’t we look foolish enough already? Do these people think it’s a way to somehow save face?”
Entire Story on Hollywood Wiretap
MORE NEWS: New 'Gossip Girl' Promo!

It’s 1936 and shy 7-year-old Moncho (Manuel Lozano) feels painfully out
of place in his Galician village until a kindly schoolteacher (Fernando
Fernán Gómez) takes him under his wing inspiring in the youngster a
love for nature and poetry. But the exciting New World that opens up
before Moncho’s eyes is soon threatened by the dark tide of fascism
rising around him.
Perfect casting from the awkwardly adorable Lozano to renowned Spanish
national treasure Fernán Gomez does much of the work for the
filmmakers. Uxía Blanco and Gonzalo Uriarte also make strong impressions
as Moncho’s parents whose divided loyalties (hers to the Church his to
the Republic) are played subtly at first but become increasingly evident
as the political atmosphere intensifies. In the end though it’s Fernán
Gómez’s youthful energy and quiet dignity that give the film its soul.
Director-producer José Luis Cuerda creates a magical world in which
fable-like episodes such as a romantic interlude between Moncho’s older
brother and a mute Chinese woman seem perfectly believable then
seamlessly makes the difficult transition to the more serious tone of
the last section. At times he loses his grip on the loose-jointed
narrative but all that is forgotten when he gets to the brutally honest
finish a masterfully set-up sequence as unexpected as it is inevitable.

Top Story: Did Miramax Foil Scorsese's Oscar Chances?
Miramax, which dominated the 75th annual Academy Award nominations with a total of 40 nods, walked away with a total of nine wins overall. But while the musical Chicago took the most Oscars--six, including Best Picture honors--its epic Gangs of New York went home empty-handed, leaving many wondering if Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein's promotional campaign was to blame. Earlier this week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences admonished Miramax after the studio took out ads in several Hollywood trade magazines featuring an opinion column written by director Robert Wise (an Academy member) that called on Oscar voters to award Martin Scorsese for directing Gangs of New York. The film was shut out despite 10 nominations including one for Scorsese for Best Director. Miramax 's Frida, meanwhile, received Oscars for best score and makeup, and The Hours, which the studio co-released with Paramount, landed a Best Actress award for Nicole Kidman.
Oscars Ratings Down From Last Year
Preliminary television ratings for the 75th annual Academy Awards were down 15 percent from last year, and it could wind up the least popular Oscar telecast ever, ABC said Monday. The network estimated the telecast drew 37 million people, with ratings likely to drop upon release of final national numbers. By comparison, last year's Oscar telecast drew an estimated 41.8 million people. The Oscars' record was 55.2 million viewers in 1998, when Titanic won Best Picture, The Associated Press reports.
Celine Dion Launches Sold-Out Vegas Show
On Tuesday, Celine Dion will launch a three-year exclusive engagement at the newly built Caesars Palace Colosseum theater in Las Vegas. The singer is expected to make about $100 million over three years from the show, with tickets averaging $125 each, Reuters reports. The production is by Franco Dragone, designer of the lavish theatrical Cirque du Soleil shows. He has created a moving "painting" on a huge high-definition video screen and assembled a cast of some 60 dancers, singers and musicians. The show's promoter, John Meglen, said tickets are nearly sold out for the first three months of the show, which will be presented 200 nights a year.
Madonna Overhauls Antiwar Video
The video for Madonna's new single, "American Life," is already stirring up controversy--and it hasn't even been released yet. According to People.com, the video was said to depict the horrors of war with images of gunmen, crying Iraqi women and bloodstained victims. But now that war is underway in Iraq, the video is getting reworked. The edited video single--which comes from her album of the same name--marks the second recent setback for the global pop star. Madonna's spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg, however, said the video is just being "fine tuned." The video is slated for release the first week of April.
Lara Croft Greases Her Axles
Paramount Pictures' buxom adventurer Lara Croft won't be driving around in a plain old Land Rover in the sequel Lara Croft and the Cradle of Life: Tomb Raider 2. According to Variety, star Angelina Jolie will sit behind the wheel of a customized Rubicon--a modified version of Jeep's Wrangler off-roader. The new customized Wrangler is expected to receive more screen time than the Land Rover Defender she drove in the first movie in a move that will enable product placement between DaimlerChrysler and Paramount to go beyond the usual three-month promotional ad campaign. Jeep will roll out print ads and television spots for the Lara Croft vehicle roughly a month before the film's July 25 release.
Singer Cleared of Child Porn Charges
Robert Del Naja, a member of British dance group Massive Attack, was cleared Friday of all charges relating to Internet pornography offenses, Reuters reports. Del Naja, known to fans as 3D, was arrested February 25 in his hometown of Bristol, England, as part of Operation Ore, a year-long nationwide crackdown on Internet child pornography. De Naja, 36, has denied the allegations. "I have never looked at child pornography in my life" he told the Sun newspaper at the time of his arrest. "I am fully cooperating with the police and I would ask everyone not to judge me prematurely. I have total faith in the justice system."

Ailing
Benicio Del Toro needs to allow his broken wrist to heal for at least one month longer before he returns to the set of his new film, The Hunted, Reuters reports. Del Toro, who is wearing a sling during a trip to Cuba to introduce free screenings of Traffic, broke his wrist in April during a fight scene with The Hunted costar Tommy Lee Jones.
Radio commentator Paul Harvey will receive outpatient surgery later this month to fix a vocal cord damaged by a virus, The Associated Press reports. Harvey, famous for his The Rest of the Story radio program, went off the air in May and will likely return at the end of August.
In Court
Warning to celebrities everywhere: think twice the next time that you stop to sign an autograph. Rap mogul Sean "Puffy" Combs stopped Tuesday to give his John Hancock to fans in New York, only to be entrapped by a process server, according to the New York Post's PageSix.com. Kim Porter, the mother of Combs' youngest son, Christian, is reportedly suing Combs for child support. Porter wants more than the $7,000 a month that Combs currently pays.
Former Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith must pay $541,000 in attorney's fees, a Texas judge said Tuesday, Reuters reported. Smith also must pay an unspecified part of the $1.2 million in court costs stemming from her six-year fight over the fortune of her late husband, oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall III. A Los Angeles bankruptcy judge awarded Smith $475 million from the estate in June. That decision is now being reviewed following an appeal by Marshall's son, Pierce, who contends that Smith, 33, is a golddigger. Smith married the wheelchair-bound Marshall when she was 26 and he was 89.
Paula Poundstone has postponed a comedy tour after pleading not guilty last week to charges of committing lewd acts on a child and child endangerment, People magazine reports. She is in rehab for treatment of alcohol abuse, her attorney said Monday, and will return to court July 30.
In General
Harrison Ford once again came to the rescue of a hiker in trouble. He helped locate a missing Utah Boy Scout who wandered off a trail Monday and spent the night alone in the woods of the Yellowstone National Park in Jackson, Wyo., The Associated Press reports. Ford, a part-time Jackson resident, flew his helicopter as part of the search-and-rescue mission. Ford and another searcher found the cold and hungry Cody Clawson, 13, on Tuesday morning about 10 miles from the Boy Scout camp. Last year, Ford rescued a sick hiker stranded on Wyoming's Table Mountain and flew her to a hospital.
Former Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert is planning to run for president of the factionalized Screen Actors Guild, The Associated Press reports. William Daniels, SAG's current president, has not said whether he would seek a second term. Union members will receive elections ballots in mid-October, with the results scheduled for announcement in early November.
Is one stage big enough for both the so-called King of Pop and the Godfather? Marlon Brando will pay homage to Michael Jackson at the Sept. 7 all-star concert in Jackson's honor, Launch.com reports. The legendary actor will join such other luminaries as Whitney Houston, Britney Spears and Ricky Martin during two concerts scheduled for Sept. 7 and Sept. 10.
DreamWorks will need to pony up $35,000 an hour if it wants Eddie Murphy to continue to act like a donkey. Murphy, Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz are each negotiating a $35,000 hourly fee to lend their voices to the planned Shrek sequel, Variety reports. This could net the trio $5 million each. Final negotiations are set for later this week.
Forget about asking Madonna for a free ticket to her sold-out series of U.S. concerts. The Material Girl turned down requests for complimentary tickets by the likes of Mick Jagger, Elton John and George Michael, who all dug deep into their pockets to pay $125 to catch her perform in London. "If you want a ticket for one of her shows, you have to pay," Madonna spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg told the New York Post.
The Hawaii-set Magnum, P.I. went off the air in 1988, but it's taken star Tom Selleck 13 years to put his Oahu house on the market. Avid fans can snap up Selleck's three-bedroom house for $2.7 million, The Associated Press reports. He bought the house--which overlooks the Kahala coast--in 1981 for $700,000.
Life is not beautiful for Andrew Lloyd Webber. His new musical, the Irish soccer-themed The Beautiful Game, will close Sept. 26 despite good reviews and plenty of awards. The musical is one of many victims of a slump in tourism that has crippled London's West End theater district. But the show will go on: Webber plans to stage the musical next year in Toronto.
The West Coast board of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television &amp; Radio Artists approved Tuesday a tentative three-year deal with studios and TV networks, Variety reports. SAG's East Coast board will address the deal--which includes a hike in the minimum pay scale in the ballpark of 3 percent to 3.5 percent annually over three years- on Thursday. Union members will then likely receive mail ballots within three weeks.